My friends daughters are in a school district with longer Christmas and spring breaks and a shorter summer break. She loves it.

I've talked to some teachers who love the idea because the kids tend to perform better. They don't have to relearn some of the things they forget over a three month break.

Other teachers hate the idea because that is when they normally do their own continuing education to stay certified OR they are using that time to go work seasonal jobs to supplement their incomes.

The public schools in my city lost their accreditation. The state took over. That's one of the reasons that my child doesn't go to the city public schools.

Sorry but I do have to correct you here. While you are right in saying that the President ALONE does not make laws, neither does Congress. They are a specifically designed check against each other. Every single thing that Congress wants to do has to, by law, be sent on up to the President who has the right to say no to it. If he does say no to it, then it goes back to Congress, where they change/amend thigns or drop it until the President is willing to agree to it. OR they can try and get a 2/3 vote, overiding the Presidents veto.

Same thing goes for the President. If there is something He wants done, he has to pass it on through Congress first and get their approval. This is constitutional law, and there's only one or two ways that the President can over ride this, and then it is still only a temporary overide done in an emergency situation. Cpngress still gets the chance to shut it down in teh end.

Somebody whisper it to Obama:

"Pssst, hey! The quality of teaching that counts, not the quantity!"

I think 90% of the people who attend high schools would rather be doing something else.Adding a longer school year would probably just increase the drop out rates for people who can only tolerate the minium amount of school necessary.This would also cause a huge increase in expenses in daily school operations which would only lead to higher taxes since education is typically one of the highest expenses for states after medical and police and fire services.

kinda close but not quite

the President doesnt get to even submit bills to congress. He might pursuade a senator or a congressman to submit something but The President himself doesnt get to. That right is Congress' alone


Article 1 section 7, US Constitution

All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Wow! Minglers (other than me) can quote the Constitution now! Hooray for education!

yah, just some of us dont get such a weird interpretation out of it as some do

I think our schools need to be more efficient before we change anything else.

Step one, remove federal government control over schools. State issue, not a federal one...

Isnt that so true, quiet. And thank you for finding that clip of the constitution. I was headed to bed when I posted last night lol. And yes, the President still has to have someone else propose the bill, however, he can and DOES state, no I will not approve this unless you do this, or do not do that. In fact he is morally obligated to do so, it is called letting the congress know what he does or does not agree with concerning their bill, so it can be tweaked to where he will pass it.

That's true to a certain extent. HOWEVER, just like when the federal government stepped forward and stated their could be no more discrimination in schools between people of different heritage, we need the government to step in now, and knock some local state heads together and get them moving in a proper and beneficial way.

What a lot of people are doing, and not just with education issues but most gouvernment issues, is trying to dictate that each state is it's own country, and that is not true. Yes, each state has it's own authority up to a certain extant. However, after that extent, the FEDERAL government kicks in, and oversees the running of everything, which means stepping in and slapping ***** and knocking heads at state level to get them to do their job properly.

Remember folks, we are THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NOT the fifty individual countries in one territory.

THANK YOU!!

and that is always a balnacing act because of the 10th Amendment which says simply


The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.



so Congress can't actually pass a law requiring the state school boards to do anything without an actual amendment to the Constitution. So instead they try to get what they want by attaching conditions to funding

wiki says-

The federal system limits the ability of the federal government to use state governments as an instrument of the national government. Printz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898 (1997). However, where Congress has the power to implement programs, or to regulate, there are sound reasons for the national government to encourage States to become the instruments of national policy, rather than to implement the program directly. One advantage is that state implementation of national programs places implementation in the hands of local officials who are closer to local circumstances. Another advantage is that implementation of federal programs at the state level tends to limit the growth of the national bureaucracy.

For this reason, Congress often seeks to exercise its powers by offering or encouraging the States to implement national programs consistent with national minimum standards; a system known as cooperative federalism. One example of the exercise of this device was to condition allocation of federal funding where certain state laws do not conform to federal guidelines. For example, federal educational funds may not be accepted without implementation of special education programs in compliance with IDEA. Similarly, the nationwide state 55 mph (90 km/h) speed limit, .08 legal blood alcohol limit, and the nationwide state 21-year drinking age were imposed through this method; the states would lose highway funding if they refused to pass such laws. See e.g. South Dakota v. Dole, 483 U.S. 203 (1987).
[edit] State sovereignty resolutions and nullification acts

As of August 2009[update], 37 states have introduced resolutions in support of "state sovereignty" under the 10th Amendment. In seven states the resolutions passed (Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Tennessee).[3]

Further, two states (Montana and Tennessee) have passed specific legislation exempting residents from certain federal firearms regulations, while Arizona has a proposed constitutional amendment (to be voted on in 2010) which would nullify a national health care system from operating in the state
-wiki

The 16th amendment is an abomination. It is the amendment allowing Congress to levy taxes and then unequally apply the tax money to the states. So Congress can tax Ohio and then say "You know what Ohio...you only get 10% of the money back, because you've been a bad boy!" It's a method of control over the state and local governments, which was never intended by the founders. It gives Congress the ability to punish and reward states for performing actions that they want performed.

there are several like that

my pet peeve is the 17th Amendment

in 1911 Congress decided to rewrite the the Constitution to change the way Senators are elected. The original Constitution called for two houses in Congress to be totally different as a check and balance. The House of Representatives was to be elected in campaigns and the Senate was to be appointed by State legislatures.

The purpose of that was to have one house elected by campaigns and the people and all that cash and foofaraw that goes with an election. And one house above all that, not influenced by campaign cash and beholden to the States they represent and not special interest

and the 1911, 17th Amendment says

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

and that is a big part of the reason that Congress never gets anything doene now

because contrary to the intent of the original writing of the Constitution BOTH houses are now pawns of special interests and big money

sorry to go so far off topic

its a pet peeve

O jeez. And now night shall be day, and day night.

COOL!

I'm going back to bed

Quietman_2009,

You are preaching to the choir. Both of those amendments (16th and 17th) should be repealed.

Term limits would help, but I don't think Congress has enough character to vote to fire all of themselves.

Where did you get that 90% number? That is so not true.

They talked of making summer vacation two weeks when I was a kid. I don't remember why it did not happen then but obviously someone has a problem with it.

Could it be the cost rise for the schools?